Past and Present Oromo Athletic Legends
Many Oromo athletes have been participating in the Olympic for nearly a century. However, the Abyssinians who subjugate the Oromo people never disclosed our heroes and legends to the world that they are Oromos but only as Ethiopians. Our athletes are both man and women. A few are dead , in prison, retired, in exile and most are still living and being used by Ethiopian government. Please read and be familiar with them. We will be adding more names as soon as we get their biography.
Abebe Bikila (1932-1973)
Abebe was born in 1932 in a town called Jato about 130 kms away from Finfine, in the district of Denba near Debre Birhan. His parents were Adee Widnesh Menberu and Oboo Bikila Demssie. According to the tradition of his environs, he spent most of his childhood as a shepherd and a student. At the age of 12, he completed the traditional, "Qes" schooling. At this age, Abebe had already distinguished himself as an exceptional "Gena" player. In 1952, young Abebe was hired by the Imperial Body Guard. At the Imperial Guard, he participated in both athletics and "Gena" game. In 1954, he married W/t Yewibdar W/Giorghis with whom he fathered four children.
Abebe spent a number of years with the Imperial Guard before he distinguished himself as a fine athlete. In 1956, at the age of 24, Abebe participated in the national armed forces championships. The hero of the time was Wami Biratu who held the national records in 5000 and 10000M races. During the marathon race, the crowd at the stadium was waiting to see Wami Biratu come as a winner. In the first few kilometers, Wami was leading. After a while, radio broadcasters informed the crowd that a young unknown athlete by the name of Abebe was leading. As Abebe was extending his lead, the crowd waited anxiously to see this new sensation. Abebe easily won his first major race and later on went to break the 5000 and 10000 Meters record held by Wami. With this impressive results, Abebe qualified for the Rome Olympics.
Abebe’s race in the Rome Olympics is what established him as a legend bigger than life and a household name all over the globe. Not only he won the race, but also set a new world record at 2:16:2. He was also the first African to win an Olympics medal. Commenting on why he run on bare foot, Abebe said, "I wanted the world to know that my country has always won with determination and heroism."
Four years later during the Tokyo Olympics, Abebe’s fame has already reached all corners of the globe. Six weeks before the big race that awaited him, Abebe was taken ill with Appendicitis. He underwent surgery amid a public outcry for a proper medical council to decide on the procedure. The day he arrived in Tokyo, Abebe hadn’t fully recovered from the surgery and limped his way-down the stairs. However, the reception Abebe received from the Japanese people helped him recover rather quickly and unexpectedly.
Along with his colleagues, Mamo Wolde and Demssie Wolde, Abebe resumed his regular training after few days of his arrival in Tokyo. The marathon race, particularly, the way Abebe won it barely six weeks after his surgery and the gymnastic display he showed right after finishing the race victoriously is now a classic image engraved in the minds of hundreds of millions of people of this planet. This was also the first time ever that the marathon race was won consecutively by an athlete. The new record of 2:12:11 that Abebe set was also an icing on a cake for this remarkable race.
Abebe trained hard for the Mexico City Olympics of 1968. Unfortunately, he had to withdraw from the race after running 15 kilometers due to bad health. His compatriot, Mamo Wolde would later finish the race victoriously.
Abebe had competed in more than 26 major marathon races in his illustrious athletic career. The world championships he won in 1960 and 1962 deserve special recognition.
In 1968, The legendary Abebe Bikila was involved in a car accident in the city of Sheno about 70 Km from Addis Ababa that left him paralyzed the waist below. Over the next 9 months, he was treated both in Ethiopia and abroad. Even while in wheels, Abebe’s competitive spirit and desire to see his country’s flag hoisted high and proud helped him compete and win several races. In 1970, he participated in a 25 Km cross-country sledge competition in Norway where he won the gold medal. Again, in the same tournament, he won a similar 10 Km race where he was awarded a special plaque.
The illustrious life of the legendary Abebe Bikila came to a tragic end in October of 1973 when he finally succumbed to a disease he had battled for many months. This eternal Oromo hero was buried in the grounds of the St. Joseph church in the presence of a huge crowd and the king of the country at the time.
Mamo Wolde Degaga(1931-2002)
Mamo Wolde was born in the village of DreDele in the Ad-A district about 60 Km from Finfine from his parents Mr.Wolde Degaga and misis Geneme Gobena.
Mamo grew up in a traditional upbringing spending most of his childhood in DreDele where he attended a "qes" schooling. In June of 1951, he was hired by the Imperial Body Guard. While at the prestigious armed forces, Mamo was able to further his education. In 1953, he was transferred to the Second Battalion of the Imperial Guard and was sent to Korea as part of the UN peacekeeping mission. Mamo spent 2 years in Korea where he had a distinguished military service. After returning from Korea, Mamo got married and pursued his passion of athletics quite regularly.
Mamo easily qualified to be a member of the Ethiopian Olympics team that participated in the Melbourne Olympics in 1962. He had the overall best performance of the national Olympics team by becoming 4-th in 1500 meter race. In 1968, Mamo competed in the 10000 meters race along with the then favorite Kenyan athletes Kip Keno and Naphtaly Temo. 200 meters before the end of the race, Mamo went to the lead. He maintained the lead until almost the end whence he was overtaken by Naphtaly Temo of Kenya. Mamo won his first Silver Olympic medal. One day before the marathon race, the team trainer Negussie Roba approached Mamo and informed him that the legendary Abebe may not be able to finish the marathon race due to bad health. Coach Negussie told Mamo that he was the nation’s only hope for the next day’s marathon race and orders him to prepare. The next day, October 20, 1968 72 athletes from 44 countries started the long anticipated race. Abebe Bikila, Mamo Wolde and Demssie represented Ethiopia. Abebe later dropped out of the race at the 15-th Km after leading for the whole duration. Mamo later would muse.
Mamo Wolde completed the race victoriously giving his country a third gold medal in Marathon. Mamo became an instant hero just like Abebe. Mamo was 35 when he won the Mexico City Marathon race. In 1972, Mamo participated in the Munich Olympics at the age of 39 where he won a bronze medal in the 10000 meter.
In his athletic career, Mamo had participated in a total of 62 international competitions.
Despite his fame in his homeland, Mamo spent the past nine years in prison, accused but not convicted of taking part in the killings of some 2,000 political opponents of former military dictator Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam from 1974 to 1978 when Mamo was a policeman. He was convicted last January of 2002 of taking part in the execution of a young man in the 1970s during Ethiopia's military regime and was sentenced to six years in prison. However, he was released because he had already spent nine years in prison awaiting trial. Mamo's case gained international attention in 1996 when the former Olympic star was invited to be a guest at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta by the International Olympic Committee.The IOC unsuccessfully campaigned for his release before the Games, sending Kenyan Olympic gold medalist Kipchoge Keino and U.S. athlete Bill Toomey to Ethiopia to plead with Ethiopian officials. Mamo was one of more than 5,000 Ethiopians charged with taking part in killings under the Mengistu regime. It is not known how many have been convicted, freed or are still awaiting trial.
Finally Mamo wolde who suffered from lack of hearing, bronchitis, bad eyesight and liver pain, spent 9 years in prison and died from many complications on May 27,2002 in Finfine, Oromia.
Negussie Roba (1935-1992)
Negussie Roba was the long-time national coach for Ethiopian Athletics Federation. This sensational national coach is widely acknowledged as the man behind the success of every Ethiopian long-distance runner from the Mexico City Olympics all the way to the Moscow Olympics in 1980. Negussie was a formidable runner and soccer player by his won right too.
Coach Negussie was born in 1935 in the Jijiga region of Eastern Ethiopia in a place called FereAd. He later moved top Addis Ababa where he completed his elementary and secondary education at the Teferri Mekonnen school. He later attended the commercial school in the capital. Negussie also attended the Charles University in Czechoslovakia where he obtained his masters degree in sports and physical training.
Negussie was a member of the first Ethiopian Olympics Committee that traveled to Melbourne, Australia. He had participated in the 100 and 200 meters races. In the Rome Olympics, Negussie competed in the same races too.
A total of 6 medals were won at the Olympics by athletes trained by Coach Negussie. His coaching was not limited to Ethiopia alone. He had trained athletes from other parts of Africa helping the continent win medals in events held in Germany, Australia and the Americas.
Coach Negussie was also member of the Executive Committee of African Amateur Athletics Federation and IAAF. The government of Ethiopia had awarded Negussie the "Black Nile" medal while the IAAF honored him with a "veteran pin" and a diploma. The current (1998) marathon record was made by Belayneh Dinsamo, a trainee of Coach Negussie. This long-standing record had earned Coach Negussie a prize of an automobile.
Coach Negussie died in April of 1992 at the young age of 57. Ethiopia will always remember this fine coach for the pride he brought to his people.
Wami Biratu
Now almost 80 years old and a father of 12 (in 1998), Wami Biratu was once among the best long-distance runners in Ethiopia. Wami had at one point trained Abebe Bikila. In his career, Wami had won 30 gold, 40 silver and 10 bronze medals and won competitions in Egypt, Japan and Czhekoslavakia.
Shibiru Regassa
Shibiru Regassa, who had won, 20 gold, 10 silver, and 15 bronze medals in his 15-year running career is best known in the 800, 5000 and 10,000 meter races.
He had competed and won numerous races in the former Soviet Union, Germany, Canada, France, Switzerland, Italy, England, China and Nigeria.
Shibiru is now 52 years old (in 1998) and lives in Addis Ababa after a forced retirement.
Mohammed Kedir
Mohammed Kedir has won 60 gold, 40 silver and 30 bronze medals in 5K and 10K races in a career that span 25 years. Mohammed’s career started in the army that trained him also to be a fine athlete.
Tolossa Kotu
Tolossa is currently the assistant coach of the Ethiopian National Athletic team. Among his trainees are the national sensations Derartu Tulu and Haile G/Selassie.
Tolossa had his own successful career in long-distance running which earned him 18 gold, 3 silver and 12 bronze medals. His rise to national level was as a result of his near win in the 5K race in 1972 which he narrowly lost to Miruts. Tolossa had participated in the Montreal and Moscow Olympics.
Eshetu Tura
Eshetu Tura is a man whose career changed by a song. The famous song written by Solomon Tessema, the legendary sport journalist, to honor Abebe Bikila and Mamo Wolde (marathon li-Ililtwa) was playing on the radio after Mamo’s victory in Mexico City. Eshetu not only get inspiration but also a determination to be like Abebe and Mamo.
Eshetu joined the armed forces, the breeding-ground of athletics success in Ethiopia. His win in the 3000 meters hurdle earned him the national spot-light. Eshetu had won a total of 30 gold, 19 silver and 13 bronze medals in the 3000 meters hurdle race. Eshetu’s name will be recorded in the History books as Ethiopia’s first athlete in the 3K hurdle.
Colonel Aberra Ayano:
Biography to come soon
Megersa Tulu :
Biography to come soon
Derartu Tulu (1969-)
Derartu Tulu rose to fame and an Olympics history, when she convincingly won the women’s 10000 meters race in the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. The scene of this 23 year old Ethiopian young lady winning this race and then draping herself with the national tri-color and doing a lap has placed her in the ranks of the eternal Oromo heroes Abebe Bikila and Mamo Wolde.
Dearatu was born in 1969 in the village of Bokoji in the Arsi region of central Oromia as a seventh child in a family of 10 children. Even in elementary school, Derartu excelled in horse riding competitions. Derartu’s first significant win came in a 400 meter race in her school where she out-run the school’s start male athlete. That along with a win in 800 meters race in her district convincingly put Derartu in a path of a successful career in Athletics. In 1988, Derartu represented the region of Arsi and competed in a national 1500 meters race where she won a bronze medal.
When she was 17, Derartu was hired by the Ethiopian Police Force. In 1989, she competed in her first international race of 6 kilometer cross-country in Norway but was 23rd. In a years time, though, she competed in the same race and won the Gold Medal. Derartu won international recognition and success in the 90’s. Her record-setting win in the 10,000 meter race in Bulgaria and her win in the same distance race in Cairo, Egypt are worth mentioning.
Derartu’s win in the 10,000 meter race in the Barcelona Olympics goes down in the History Books as the first gold-medal win ever by an African woman. Derartu is still winning races and bringing, the gold, silver and bronze medals to her people and country. In her short but on-going career, she has managed to win 35 gold, 12 silver and 15 bronze med
Fatuma Roba
Roba started running in her elementary school in the Arsi region that was once home also to Derartu Tulu and Haile Gebrselassie, 10,000-meter Olympic gold-medalists in 1992 and 1996 respectively.
Fatuma Roba was the fourth of eight children of subsistence farmers living in the rural countryside outside Bukeji, Derartu Tulu's hometown. Roba began winning 100-meter and 200-meter races and was chosen to represent her school in regional competitions.
``I knew of (1960 Olympic marathon winner) Abebe Bikila and (1968 winner) Mamo Wolde from the radio, so I thought I'd try it, too,'' she says. Unlike many rural women runners, Roba says she faced little objection from her Muslim family when she decided to take up the sport. Four years later, she moved to Addis Ababa and became a runner on the prison police force, where she remains today with the rank of major to which she was promoted after Atlanta.
She prepared for the Boston course both last year and this by running on the hills just outside Addis Ababa. It evidently paid off last year, since immediately after her victory she was asked about the big incline on the course and she made the instantaneous response: ``I've been told there is a big hill, but I didn't see it.''
Roba feels she is well-prepared again this year, although she says she has had occasional knee trouble including at the Tokyo marathon last autumn, when she finished fourth. She is not concerned about the threat of rain on Monday.
``As long as it doesn't get cold, it'll be fine,'' she says. ``I expect good results.''
So does the Oromo community of Boston. The immigrant residents of the city had held high hopes for Roba last year after witnessing her televised feat at Atlanta, and when she won in Boston, they were ready.
Late on the night of the race, after the official marathon celebrations, fans packed the Addis Red Sea Ethiopian restaurant, where an Ethiopian flag adorned the wall.
At a victory ceremony organized by sports and community associations, the athletes received trophies amid speeches and victory chants.
Said Derartu Tulu, who ran her first marathon in Boston then and placed fifth: ``It's good when the world sees this side of our country , instead of just the hardships.''
Hiwot Solomon, a Boston sixth-grader at the time, said she had been yelling ``Go, Fatuma!'' on the course and stayed up for the ceremony to get Roba's autograph.
Roba appreciated all the attention, and stayed in Boston for a week after the marathon. ``They all went out of their way, getting us awards and everything,'' she says.
The community is ready again this year, not only for Roba, but for 1996 New York City marathon silver medalist Turbo Tumo and two of Roba's running partners, Belay Wolashe and Senayt Teklu, who is not running in Boston but accompanied Roba.
The marathon course is where many will be in the morning, but for the night, victory celebrations have already been planned.